Local CDL-A Position Fuel Tanker
Local CDL-A Fuel Tanker Driver
Hiring Radius: Mobile Bay & Western Gulf Coast • Terminal: Mobile, AL
Mobile, AL Local Home Daily 2021–2025 Tractors
Load gasoline and diesel at approved Gulf Coast racks and deliver to retail stations, commercial fleets, industrial sites and marine accounts across Mobile County, Baldwin County, southwest Alabama, the western Florida Panhandle and nearby Mississippi. Earn $1,500–$2,050 weekly on home-daily schedules built around recurring petroleum demand, with typical weekly gross around $1,750.
Typical Weekly Gross
$1,500–$2,050
Estimated Annual: $91,000
Sign-On Bonus $1,500
Home Time Home Daily
Driver Type Company Driver
Typical Weekly Miles 950–1,450
Freight Type Gasoline & Diesel
Drivers load gasoline and diesel at approved Mobile-area and Gulf Coast racks, then run multi-stop delivery sequences to retail stations, fleet yards, industrial sites and marine accounts. The work centers on precise compartment control, product verification, grounding and bonding, vapor recovery where required, and careful hose-and-valve handling at every drop. Daily challenges include managing partial tank capacity, site access restrictions, rack queues and changing customer inventory windows while keeping product segregated and documentation accurate.
- Load gasoline and diesel at approved Mobile-area racks after verifying product, compartment assignments and loading authorization.
- Complete grounding, bonding and vapor-recovery steps before any product transfer begins.
- Make multi-stop deliveries to retail stations, commercial fleets, industrial sites and marine accounts across the Mobile–Pensacola–Mississippi Gulf Coast corridor.
- Confirm underground tank identification and fill-point readiness before connecting delivery hoses.
- Manage product quantities and remaining loads when tanks cannot accept a full delivery.
- Record quantities, obtain electronic or signed proof of delivery, and submit fuel-delivery documentation.
- Communicate rack delays, blocked fill points or site hazards to dispatch immediately.
- Perform post-trip inspection and secure the tanker at the terminal or an approved location.
Fuel work pays by the hour because loading, multi-stop deliveries, hose work, customer waiting time and local traffic consume duty hours that pure mileage rates do not capture. Mileage therefore varies while pay remains tied to hours worked.
Base Hourly Rate $33.00
Overtime Rate $49.50 after 40 hours
Typical Week (49 hrs) $1,750 gross
Normal Weekly Range $1,500–$2,050
Estimated Annual $91,000
Sign-On Bonus $1,500 staged (30/90/180 days)
Payroll Weekly direct deposit
Home Time Home daily after each shift
Operating Radius Generally within 150–200 miles of Mobile terminal
Terminal Base Mobile, AL area
Typical Weekly Miles 950–1,450 (pay is hourly; miles vary with rack time, drops and waiting)
Typical Hours 46–54 per week (most weeks ~49)
Shift Starts Often 2:00–5:00 AM; some overnight and weekend coverage
Most runs stay inside the Mobile–Pensacola–Mississippi Gulf Coast corridor. Occasional longer turns occur when customer demand or inventory needs require them.
Tractor Models Freightliner Cascadia & Kenworth T680
Model Years Primarily 2021–2025
Cab Configuration Day-cab or short regional
Transmission Automated manual mixed with limited 10-speed manuals
Trailer Type Compartmented petroleum tankers (aluminum/stainless, 3–7 years)
Assignment Assigned when available; limited slip-seat for maintenance
Fuel equipment includes compartment valves, loading connections, vapor recovery where required, grounding/bonding gear, product hoses, emergency shutoffs, spill-response kits, fire extinguishers and PPE storage. Tractors carry ELDs, GPS/telematics, electronic DVIR, collision-mitigation and lane-departure systems on newer units; adaptive cruise varies. Dash cameras support safety review. Preventive maintenance runs through the company shop and approved vendors.
Gasoline and diesel move from approved Gulf Coast fuel terminals to established retail stations, truck stops, commercial fleets, industrial sites and marine fuel accounts. Dispatch sequences change daily based on station inventory, rack availability and delivery windows.
- Theodore, AL to Mobile, AL short cycles with multiple retail and fleet drops
- Mobile, AL to Daphne or Spanish Fort, AL Baldwin County retail and commercial runs
- Theodore, AL to Bay Minette, AL inland Alabama deliveries
- Mobile, AL to Pensacola, FL longer western Panhandle lanes serving stations and fleet accounts
- Theodore, AL to Pascagoula or Gulfport, MS Mississippi Gulf Coast corridors
- Primary roads: I-10, I-65, I-165, US-90, US-98 and US-45
- Arrive terminal 3:30–4:30 AM, complete pre-trip and review first assignment.
- Check in at designated rack, verify product and compartments, complete grounding and load.
- Run first delivery sequence during lower early-morning traffic windows, often with multiple customer drops.
- Return for reload or continue to Baldwin County or nearby stops as dispatch directs.
- Handle secondary delivery cycles while monitoring traffic, tank readiness and customer access.
- Finish final drop, return trailer, perform post-trip and submit documentation.
About the Carrier
This mid-sized regional carrier operates a focused petroleum fleet out of the Mobile area rather than mixing long-haul or dry-van freight. The operation stays inside the western Gulf Coast network so tractors, tankers and drivers remain available for daily reload cycles and changing customer inventory needs. Dedicated local dispatch monitors rack queues, tank levels and traffic so product reaches the correct underground tanks without cross-contamination or missed windows. Equipment is terminal-based, maintained through the company shop and approved vendors, and drivers are assigned to consistent equipment when available. The focus remains local home-daily fuel service supporting retail, fleet, industrial and marine accounts around the Port of Mobile and Theodore corridor.
Health Coverage Medical, dental and vision options
Retirement 401(k) with company contribution/match
Paid Time Off Paid vacation after eligibility; paid holidays
Safety Incentive Quarterly safety/attendance incentive under policy
Additional Support Paid orientation, PPE, referral program, uniforms after probation; endorsement reimbursement may be available under company policy
- Valid Class A CDL with Tanker (N) and HazMat (H) endorsements (X accepted)
- Minimum 12 months recent tractor-trailer experience; fuel or tanker preferred
- Acceptable MVR and safety history; ability to pass DOT physical and drug/alcohol tests
- Clearinghouse and background verification; minimum age 21
- Ability to work early-morning, overnight, weekend or holiday shifts when scheduled
- Ability to handle hoses, valves, loading connections and required PPE safely
- Morning rack queues during high retail demand or holiday periods
- Terminal loading delays when rack allocation or product availability changes
- I-10, I-65 and US-90 congestion, construction or weather slowdowns
- Blocked fill points or tanks not ready to receive full quantity
- Customer site access restrictions or waiting for authorized receivers
- Hurricane preparation spikes that reshape daily dispatch priorities
1
Recruiter Call
Review CDL, endorsements and experience within one business day
2
Verification
MVR, employment history, Clearinghouse and drug screen
3
Offer & Orientation
Paid Mobile terminal orientation covering fuel procedures (3–7 days)
4
First Dispatch
Equipment orientation and supervised start once cleared
Q: How many delivery cycles does a typical shift include? ▼
Most shifts run 2–4 delivery runs or cycles, with multiple customer drops on some loads depending on route distance and inventory needs.
Q: Are the routes fixed dedicated lanes? ▼
No. Dispatch changes the sequence daily according to station inventory, rack availability and delivery windows.
Q: What happens if a fill point is blocked or a tank cannot take the full load? ▼
Contact dispatch before assuming anything. They will resequence or adjust the remaining product.
Q: Is lumper work part of this job? ▼
Traditional lumper activity is rare. Delays more often involve site access, tank readiness or product confirmation.
Q: Can drivers take a loaded tanker home? ▼
Loaded petroleum trailers stay at the terminal or approved secure locations unless specifically authorized otherwise.
Q: How does weather affect the operation? ▼
Heavy Gulf Coast rain can slow customer access. Tropical systems and hurricane preparation often increase fuel demand and change priorities.
Q: Is recent fuel experience required or just preferred? ▼
Fuel delivery experience is preferred and recent tanker experience is strongly preferred. Company-specific rack and customer training is provided.
Q: How early do Mobile fuel tanker drivers start? ▼
Most shifts begin between 2:00 and 5:00 AM so drivers can clear the rack and complete early deliveries before heavier traffic builds. Overnight and weekend coverage is also scheduled as needed.
Q: How much does a local fuel tanker driver make in Mobile, AL? ▼
This position typically pays $1,500–$2,050 weekly at $33.00 per hour with overtime after 40 hours, producing an estimated annual gross around $91,000 for drivers averaging roughly 49 hours per week.
Mobile supports a broad CDL-A market with regular openings in dry-van, intermodal, local delivery and regional work. Specialized tanker and HazMat positions form a smaller, more competitive segment because they require both Tanker and HazMat endorsements plus comfort with loading racks and product handling. National and regional bulk carriers compete for the same limited pool of qualified drivers, which keeps demand steady for experienced fuel and chemical operators. Local and regional home-daily roles remain common, while OTR opportunities exist for drivers willing to travel farther. Within this market, local fuel tanker work sits in the specialized tier: higher skill and endorsement requirements, consistent local demand, and pay that reflects the hourly nature of rack loading, multi-stop drops and site work rather than pure line-haul mileage.
The Port of Mobile and the industrial corridor running south toward Theodore generate continuous demand for petroleum products that must move from approved racks to retail stations, commercial fleets, industrial sites and marine accounts on tight inventory cycles. Pipeline, rail, barge and highway connections support the broader chemical and energy economy, while I-10 carries east-west traffic toward Mississippi and the Florida Panhandle and I-65 links Mobile northward. Holiday travel periods and tropical weather preparation can spike gasoline and diesel volume quickly. These short-haul petroleum movements remain a core part of the local transportation economy year-round because stations, fleets and marine operations cannot tolerate long gaps in supply.